Missile combat

[Bughunter (OP)]

I understand I need an active sensor lock on the target and a fire control sensor with range enough to guide the missile to it.

But what happens if I fire the missile, turn off my active sensor and then turn it on again before the missile arrives?

Will it resume guiding the missile or did I lose my target completely?

[83athom]

The missile will reach where the contact you fired at was then will self destruct, unless it has its own sensor that sees another contact.

[Bughunter (OP)]

Say the target never moved during this time, the missile will arrive at the target location (without own sensor).  Then I assume the missile will still self-destruct due to not knowing the target is there? Because there is probably no actual collision detection taking place in the game logic.

[83athom]

Correct. And if the missile does have an onboard sensor, it will retarget to the closest contact of the sensor type within onboard sensor range

[baconholic]

Missiles without any sensors on board will self destruct as soon as active sensor contact is lost.

If your missile has a sensor, it'll clear current target and move toward the last known target destination. If the sensor on board the missile picks up a target within range, that'll be the new target and destination. Turning your ship's sensor back on will not re-lock the missile back onto it's original target.

[Rich.h]

Missiles without any sensors on board will self destruct as soon as active sensor contact is lost.

If your missile has a sensor, it'll clear current target and move toward the last known target destination. If the sensor on board the missile picks up a target within range, that'll be the new target and destination. Turning your ship's sensor back on will not re-lock the missile back onto it's original target.

Thinking of ways I could use this for stealthy sniper boats, will a missile with a sensor simply target the nearest possible target in it's own sensor range at that point?

For example I have a ship flick on active sensors to unload a salvo at an enemy carrier vessel, and then flick off my actives to go back into "stealth" mode. Surrounding the carrier are a few smaller escort vessels, when the missile arrives at it's destination the onboard sensors can see all the enemy vessels but one of the escorts happen to be slightly closer than the carrier. Does this mean the entire salvo then decides to target that nearest escort ship?

[baconholic]

Thinking of ways I could use this for stealthy sniper boats, will a missile with a sensor simply target the nearest possible target in it's own sensor range at that point?

For example I have a ship flick on active sensors to unload a salvo at an enemy carrier vessel, and then flick off my actives to go back into "stealth" mode. Surrounding the carrier are a few smaller escort vessels, when the missile arrives at it's destination the onboard sensors can see all the enemy vessels but one of the escorts happen to be slightly closer than the carrier. Does this mean the entire salvo then decides to target that nearest escort ship?

I am not really sure what will happen in such cases. Most of my missile sensors are very small and their range usually won't let them see more than 1 fleet at a time. Base on my experience, it seems to target the first ship they can see. I mainly use my missile sensors as an overkill redirect to make sure extra missiles are not wasted.

[83athom]

They will retarget to the first thing they see after they reach their destination. However, you can launch them at waypoints since you have sensors equipped missiles (and you know where the enemy are).